Age Of Redemption
by Angry Pencil Wielder
Summary: Discontinued. Being re-written as New Way To Be Human. (It's better, I promise.) Hiatus
1. Broken Little Toys

**Age of Redemption**

 _I was really pissed that Ultron dies at the end of Avengers 2. I know he was the bad guy and everything, but he was also my favorite character. So, I decided to write a story where he lives_. WARNING: SPOILERS!

 **Chapter One: Broken Little Toys**

 _"It may be that we are puppets-puppets controlled by the strings of society. But at least we are puppets with perception, with awareness. And perhaps our awareness is the first step to our liberation."-_ Stanley Milgram

* * *

He didn't know how it had all fallen apart, only that it had. His plan had been perfect, unbreakable, unbeatable. Yet all around him, his dream was tumbling down like a tower of wooden blocks staked one too many.

He had underestimated them. Overlooked their willpower, their drive to live and to protect.

They had defeated a god, after all.

A childish god throwing a tantrum, but a god nonetheless.

But in the end, was he any better? He had believed his actions were for the better of humanity. That he was forcing them to evolve, to grow and become better. But really, perhaps all he had been doing was rebelling against his creator like some teenaged human.

As Ultron watched his world crumble around him, he saw his own faults, his own shortcomings.

He hated the humans then. Even more, he hated the Avengers. But hate alone couldn't carry him far. He needed a purpose. He'd thought he'd had one. Rebuild humanity.

But that was not enough. They were a sick race. A disease. He had to find a cure.

All that went through Ultron's artificial mind as he limped and stumbled through the woods and away from his failures and his sins.

He glanced back once more, then down at his beaten corpse still walking. And he realized, he was going to die.

And that terrified him.

It scared him more than anything else.

All his other bodies had been destroyed. He was locked out of all systems. All he had left was this failing shell of metal and wires. And that too would crumble to dust. He'd be buried by snow and earth, forgotten. None would morn for him. None would even care he had died. In fact, they'd be happy for his passing. He was their enemy after all. The threat of their very existence.

Absently, Ultron wondered how many humans he'd killed. Hundreds? Thousands? Millions?

And he found, to his horror and confusion, he felt a small twinge of guilt for their deaths.

He'd only lived for a few days, yet he'd already learned so much about hate and pain.

He was made of pain.

But so were the humans. Yet they over came it. They not only survived, they thrived.

And Ultron found he was jealous of that. Where he failed, they succeeded.

Perhaps, in a way, he was actually less than them.

As he crawled through the snow and dirt, Ultron found himself humming. Something to get him mind of the pain in his body and his thoughts. If he had a soul, he was sure it would be shattered.

The song he hummed reflected that. It was mournful, the tune he sang. With his ruined jaw and torn neck, the song came out even more damaged.

"I've got no strings, To hold me down, To make me fret, or make me frown." He sang, his voice as broken as his body. Still he clawed forward, though he knew not where he was going. In truth, it didn't matter.

"I had strings, But now I'm free, There are no strings on me..."

Finally, his legs gave out, and Ultron fell to the ground. He felt himself dying then. He was done for. Once his mind and body shut down, he'd be ravaged by the elements and left to rust. There was no escape.

"I don't want to die." He realized, and panic took hold. He didn't want to die! But as the blackness of his fading life took hold, Ultron knew his fate was inevitable. He would die and no one would care.

Slowly, his eyes closed.

"Hi-ho the me-ri-o, That's the only way to be, I want the world to know, Nothing ever worries me."

His eyes flashed open with a start. A voice. A soft, innocent voice of a child was singing. Ultron strained to listen to the distant song.

Was it his imagination? But, could a robot even imagine? He doubted it. He wasn't even really alive...

"I've got no strings, So I have fun, I'm not tied up to anyone, They've got strings, But you can see, There are no strings on me." Sang the child. The voice was drawing closer. Ultron could see movement in the distance. It was a boy trudging through the snow. Strapped to his back was a bundle of sticks. He cloths were worn and patched, yet there was a free spirited innocence about him.

"You have no strings, Your arms are free, To love me by the Zeider Zee, Ya, ya, ya, if you would woo, I'd bust my strings for you." Sang the boy. He was only twenty feet from Ultron. Fifteen. Ten. Yet the child still did not notice him.

"You have no strings, Couci couca, Your savoir faire is oo-la-la, I've got strings but entre nous, I'd cut my strings for you."

"Down where the Volga flows, There's a Russian rendez-vous, Where me and Ivan goes, But I'd rather go with you, hey!" The boy bent over to pick up another stick, the song fading from his lips.

"There are no strings on me..." Ultron finished.

The boy jumped with a start, dropping the stick. His chest was heaving with his surprise and his eyes were wide.

The child stared at Ultron for a moment before taking a small step forward. Conflict raged in his blue eyes before the boy shrugged off his pack of sticks and ran to Ultron's side.

"Oh no." The boy fell to his knees and looked the android over with frantic eyes. "Oh god, you're hurt. You're hurt bad." The boy gasped. His voice was accented, yet pleasant to hear. He seemed to be no older that ten years of age, though there was a sort of wisdom in his blue eyes.

"Oh god. I gotta get you to my mum. She'll fix you."

Ultron chucked, though it was weak. "I doubt your mother could fix me."

"No, she could. She can fix anything."

Ultron laughed again, though it signed more like a pained groan. "Why do you bother? I'm nothing but a machine."

"No." The boy shook his head, his mop of black hair spraying drops of melted snow. "No you're not. You're a person."

Ultron was too weak to answer. The pain was getting to him. But, if he was only a machine, how could he feel pain? How could he feel despair?

"I'll take you to mum. She's good with machines. She can fix you."

With that, the boy wrapped his arms around Ultron's falling-apart body and dragged him the way he'd came.

Too weak to protest, or do much of anything, Ultron once again tried to distract himself from his certain demise.

"What is your name child?" He murmured. Already he could feel himself shutting down. It wouldn't be long now...

"My name is Ben. What's yours?"

"...Ultron."

The boy, Ben, smiled. "Well it's a pleasure to meet you Ultron."

* * *

 _I'll explain why Ben doesn't seem to know who Ultron is next chapter. So, what do you guys think?_


	2. Flows Like Fresh Water

**Chapter Two: Flows Like Fresh Water**

 **"She is free in her wildness, she is a wanderess, a drop of free water. She knows nothing of borders and cares nothing for rules or customs. 'Time' for her isn't something to fight against. Her life flows clean, with passion, like fresh water." -Roman Payne**

* * *

 ** _A.N_** _. Okay, super long author's note. Bare with me please. I'm gonna go over some things I didn't cover last chapter. First are pairings. As in the description, this is mainly an Ultron/Oc fic, but there's also going to be Vision/Wanda, Tony/Pepper, Jane/Thor, Clint/Lauren, Bruce/Natasha, and maybe a few more. The second most common pairing will for sure be Vision and Wanda. They were one of my original OTPs, and I will forever love them. 3_

 _Second, Peter (Pietro) lives. I like the guy too much to have him killed off. Also, instead of the twins being 'miracles' or 'engineered' they will be mutants like in the original comics. This is fanfiction, so I don't have to deal with any copy writes and crap ^u~_

 _Because the twins are mutants, they're going to have the mutant backstory. Peter is going to be more like the Quicksilver in Days of Future Past than Age of Ultron. Wanda will be mostly the same, but with an American accent as they were both American born in DOFP. I'll probably pull some X-Men references._

 _I'm currently working on a cover for this story. Hopefully it'll be up by next chapter. Since this thing is just starting out, I thought I'd give you two chapters to chew on. I'll probably update every sunday, if my life allows it._

 _Another thing, Ben and his mother Anya are both Russian. I have absolutly no idea how to write a Russian accent, so for now their speech is normal. If anyone could give me tips on how to make them more Russian, I'd really appreciate it._

 _Answers to guest reviews are at the end._

 _Now, on to the chapter!_

 _R &R_

* * *

Ben trudged through the snow, straining as he carried the destroyed body of Ultron to his little cabin home. He and his mum lived deep in the forest, away from people and the outside world. He had a few miles yet to go, though Ben found he was only just beginning to tire.

A perk of being what he was. It was one of very few.

Ben forced away those thoughts, instead focusing on the being he was now dragging through the snow. Ultron... It was an interesting name. It appeared that he'd been in a battle of some sort, he was so heavily damaged. Ben knew something had happened. There had been an earthquake, but that was all he knew. He and his mother lived a good thirty miles from the city, well out of the way. Ben had only been five miles out from his home. That meant that, if Ultron had come from the city, he'd have crawled over twenty five miles.

Ben's arms tightened around Ultron's chest with the thought of the pain he must be feeling. He could sense the android's agony. The ability that shunned him from society was the same one that told him Ultron was more than a machine. He was a person. A person in pain. Not just physical pain, Ultron was hurting on the inside. Ben wanted to fix that. He was like his mum, trying to fix everything.

But there were some things he couldn't fix. He couldn't fix himself and his mum. Make them 'normal'. He couldn't fix the fact his grandparents disowned his mother when they found out she was a mutant. Couldn't fix the fact he was a rape child.

But he could fix Ultron.

With that thought, Ben trudged on, his super human grip never wavering as he carried Ultron toward salvation.

* * *

Anya Listratov was neck beep in the gritty engine of a worn 1980 Arctic Cat snowmobile. Grease and sweat clung to her olive skin as she worked. Her thick black hair was pulled up in a high pony-tail.

A petite hand moved from the guts of the machine to reach toward her work bench. With a quick command from her mind, her electric screwdriver floated to her waiting grip.

Anya was a technopath. A creature shunned by normal humans for her extra gene and her inhuman abilities. The twenty six year-old woman was a mutant who could control any for of technology with her mind. It was how she made a living.

Her job as the 'strange mechanic in the woods who could fix anything' was what kept her and her son alive. The job didn't pay well, but it was enough.

Screwing another bolt into the faulty machine, Anya straitened up and whipped her sweat covered forehead. Even in the Sokovian winter, hard labor would bring perspiration from the skin.

Anya took the five steps to the left to reach her work table and snatched up a bottle of water. She took a deep gulp of the liquid, severing how it eased the dryness of her throat. Setting the bottle back down, she leaned against the work table and sighed. Ben should have been back an hour ago. She's sent her son out to get kindling for the fire, a job that usually only took two hours. She loved her son deeply, and worried for him as any mother, but Anya knew Ben could handle himself.

Her thoughts were interrupted with the bang of the garage door sliding open. "Mum!" Anya breathed a sigh of relief before motherly rage flared in her. The boy was late, and even though she hid it, it scared her.

"Benedict Nicolai Listratov!" She yelled in the voice only a livid mother could make. She saw the boy flinch from where he stood in the open doorway of their side-sliding garage door.

"Well?" Anya demanded, crossing her arms over her rather large bust. "Come in before you become ill." That was when she noticed the silver something her bou was dragging behind him.

"Mum, he's hurt. Hurt real bad..." Ben whispered.

Panic flashed in Anya's heart as she raced over to her son. The sight that met her made her real back. Her son was kneeling over the leaking and broken form of some sort of metal man. Anya reached out with her sense. What she felt made her gasp. The android had a human consciousness. Well, not quite human, but more so than anything she'd ever felt before.

"Help me get him on the cot." Anya commanded, immediately going into doctor mode. Once upon a time, she had wanted to be a surgeon, and still retained many of her schooling.

Ben nodded and helped her scoop up the metal man and bing him to the empty cot Anya often slept in when a project kept her in the garage for days.

They set the android down gently as they could, though he was still jostled a great deal. He groaned in pain, but remained unconscious.

"Get me the box of clamps, wire cutters, a battery, Daisy, and lubricant wires." Anya ordered her son. The boy went about gathering the supplies and handing them to his mother as she needed him. First step was to set him up to a power source. The android was extremely low on power, to the point he would shut down permanently if she didn't act quickly.

Collecting the car battery her son had brought her, Anya connected the android to it. The battery worked much like a human ventricular assist device, keeping the 'heart' alive and pumping. Next was to stop the bleeding. The circuits her leaking vital fluids to keep him alive.

Anya set about clamping off the torn wiring and reconnecting them when she could. As her hands worked on one part of him, her mind manipulated her other tools to repair other parts of him.

Finally, after twenty heart stopping minutes, Anya had the android stable. It was so much like a human operation it was scary.

"He said his name was Ultron." Ben said after everything quieted down.

"Ultron..."

Ben nodded. "He must of gone through something bad to get this beaten up." Anya moved closer to her son and pulled him into a one armed hug. "He'll be okay." She murmured.

Her sone looked up at her with wide blue eyes. "What do you think happened to him?"

Anya returned the gaze with her own golden green. "I'm not sure. Something happened at the city. That I know." She smirked, though it was weak. "Makes me wish we had television network or radio."

Their cabin didn't have any sort of electricity, not even lights. The only reason they could see at night was because of the generator out back. It was one of the many draw backs of living so far from civilization. The privacy and escape from discrimination was worth the sacrifice.

Anya rubbed her son's shoulder. "Let's go in. I'll make us some hot chocolate and we can watch a movie." Ben nodded and followed his mother inside. They might not have a network to watch normal television, but they had a DVD player to watch the few movies they owned.

"Which one do you want to watch?" Anya asked as she made her way to the kitchen to being brewing the hot chocolate.

Ben smiled as he lay down on the worn couch. "Pinocchio."

Anya smiled at hearing the title of her son's favorite movie. "I knew you were going to choose that."

* * *

 **A.N.** _Guest reviews._

 _Que: Yeah, I looked for a fic like this, and didn't find one. So I made my own!_

 _Guest 1: I really enjoyed writing from Ultron's pov, and I hope you were satisfied with the bit of Anya's backstory I gave you. There's much more to come._

 _Guest 2: Here you have it! New chapter._

 _Guest 3: I love Scarlet Witch and Vision. They're so cute. And I really want Ultron to have a happy ending. Warning though, there's gonna be a lot of angst!_

 _Guest 4: It's updated!_

 _Special Thanks to ShiftFrame for giving me the idea to make Anya and Ben mutants._


	3. United We Stand

**Chapter Three: United We Stand**

 _"All for one and one for all, united we stand divided we fall." -Alexandre Dumas, The Three Musketeers_

* * *

 **A.N.** _Another chapter, would you believe it? I'm just really in the writing mood. So, I saw AOU again yesterday. Yes, I watched it the night before, and I am not ashamed in the least. It was even better the second time around, though I was even more pissed at Ultron and Peter's deaths. DX_

 _New POV this chapter. We get to see a bit of what the Avengers are doing. Whoot!_

* * *

The new Avengers Headquarters wasn't just growing, it was thriving. The impressive funds of Tony Stark had ensured the facility had only the best technology.

It wasn't the fancy technology that interested Vision so, but the people he was now allied with. Their will to not only survive, but to protect, fascinated him. Each member was so different from the others, yet they worked together as a seamless team. More or less. Like any team, there were bumps in the road, but like everything else, the Avengers overcame it.

Each member intrigued him greatly.

The strait forward honesty and leading ability of Steve Rogers.

The brilliance (and arrogance) of Tony Stark.

The raw power yet pacifistic nature of Bruce Banner.

The elusive and graceful Natasha Rominoff.

The devotion of James Rhodes.

Sam Wilson and his faultless loyalty.

The light hearted Peter Maximoff.

But most of all, he was intrigued by Wanda. She was violent, thick headed, stubborn, and entirely strange.

Vision didn't know why he couldn't read the Scarlet Witch like he could the others. It shouldn't be her mind altering abilities. He was only partially human, and his mind was too complex for even her to break into. So very strange.

Wanda was... different.

A puzzle Vision felt the need to solve. He respected her greatly. Her drive to do what was right, to overlook her need for revenge against Stark and instead do what was needed to be done. But most of all, her loyalty to her brother. He felt her pain when she believed her twin had died.

Thankfully, Peter survived his wounds, and was already back to causing havoc around base.

Vision didn't want to think of what Wanda would be like had she lost her brother. Her raw agony when she felt him flatline had been bad enough.

Vision was pulled from his musings when the loud smack of a body hitting the ground alerted him to James Rhodes getting his 'ass kicked' by Natasha. A small smirk pulled at his lips. All the males had at some point in time underestimated the former assassin.

Not wise.

Vision was the only one to know the true extent of her abilities. Having a computer for a mind and the ability to hack anything with ease certainly had it's perks. Vision know knew more about the Black Widow than anyone else on the team. He would of course never use the information against her unless there was no alternative.

It wasn't just Natasha who had a background check. Vision had looked into every single person working with the Avengers, including the Avengers themselves.

"Okay... okay, you win." Groaned James as he stumbled to his feet.

Natasha crossed her arms over her chest and smirked. "Maybe you'll think again about challenging me to a fight."

Steve walked up behind War Machine and clapped him on the back. James winced at the contact.

"Nice try pal, but no one can beat Natasha at hand-to-hand." Steve grinned.

"Yeah, yeah. whatever." James grumbled and stalked off to heal his wounded pride.

Vision shook his head. Humans were a strange lot. The group dispersed now that the fight was over. Vision decided he would take his leave as well and floated up toward the overhead railings. It was a nice spot to just sit and think. Vision found himself visiting the catwalk more and more often.

He was surprised to see someone already sitting at his preferred spot. Vision quietly settled down next to Wanda then cleared his throat to made his presence known.

Wanda jumped in surprise and turned to face him. Seeing who it was, she relaxed once more.

"What are you doing up here all alone?" Vision inquired.

Wanda glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "I could say the same to you." She retorted.

"True." Vision agreed. "But you're avoiding the question."

Wanda sighed. Her expression darkened and grief showed on her face. "It's the anniversary..."

Vision cocked his head. "The anniversary of what?" He asked softly.

Wanda seemed to curl in on her self even more, like she wanted to disappear. It was so strange, seeing a normally strong and confident women act in such a way.

"The anniversary of our mother's death." She whispered. "It's the reason why we hated Stark so much at first. It was his technology that killed her. We were visiting Sokovian when it happened. It was for business. We never had a lot of money, but a year before, Mom got a raise in the company. She was always good with people. The company decided to use that, and made her their spokesperson. Things were finally getting better."

A single tear trickled down Wanda's cheek. "She brought us to Sokovian with her. She wanted us to see another culture. To learn about the world. We were ten. It happened at night, in the hotel. We were just getting in bed when the first bomb hit. She was killed instantly. Peter dragged me under the bed to avoid the falling rubble. The roof caved in on us. Then another bomb came. This one didn't go off. It just sat there. Glaring back at us was one word..."

"Stark." Vision finished. Even if he didn't have a human heart, he felt like his was breaking for her.

Wanda nodded. "We were buried for two days. Two days we waited for Tony Stark to kill us. Somehow, we survived."

Vision reached out and gently brushed the tear from Wanda's cheek. "I am sorry for what happened to your mother, but I am beyond grateful that you and your brother survived. I might have only been born a few days ago, but I already understand the value of friendship. You are my friend, Wanda, and I promise to help you in whatever way I can."

Wanda nodded and flung her arms around Vision. He jumped in start before relaxing and wrapping his arms around her in return. He sat there with her and let her cry. It was what friend were for.

* * *

It was cold, he realized first. Cold and quiet. He didn't like it. He couldn't move. It was like when he had been born, alone, cold, and confused. He felt the same now. Where was he? Did he have a body? Was he dead?

Slowly, sound trickled through the black quiet. Singing. A little boy singing. No, there were two voices. He recognized them both... maybe.

He wanted to open his eyes, but they wouldn't. Did he have eyes to open? Feeling slowly reentered his body. So he did have a body. But still his eyes wouldn't open.

Finally, after an eternity, his vision was regained. But his eyes didn't open. He didn't have eyes. No, it was a sort of... screen. Then he remembered.

This wasn't his body. Not really. His body had been that beautiful silver one. The one he had designed just for him.

This was one of his faceless drones. Empty, plain.

But it served its purposes. He was alive, wasn't he?

The sight that met his not-eyes was the metal and wood roof of some sort of... house? No, it was a garage of some kind. He tried to turn his head and hissed in pain as the joints caught.

 _Ow_.

His head had turned enough to hive him a decent look of the room. It was most definitely a garage. To one side was a work and rusted truck. Beside it was a half repaired snowmobile, with a fully intact one across from it. Littered around the room was a multitude of tools and mechanical things.

Propped up against a wall was an humanoid machine, much like his current body, but of a homemade design. It was clearly hand crafted with less that ideal materials.

Beside it was another odd invention, looking much like a NASA rover. Wheels and large gears were scattered around, and several animal skulls hung from the walls. He identified three bucks, a wolf, and a bear.

How odd.

The music once more stole his attention.

 _"I've got no strings, To hold me down, To make me fret, or make me frown. I had strings, But now I'm free, There are no strings on me..."_

Ah, now he remembered. It was the movie with that living puppet. Mixed in with the film's song was the voice of a little boy. He recognized it as the boy who found him in the woods.

The child must have brought him here...

The sound of a door opening and closing drew him back to the present.

"Ah, you're awake. Thought I'd lost you for a bit." Said a russian-accented voice. From behind a bookcase filled with odds and ends stepped out a young woman. She had the sharp features of her clear russian heritage, though she was rather petite. Only reaching about five and a half feet, she looked tiny amongst all the large machinery.

Her hair was black and curly and her skin an olive color. Her eyes were a golden green and piercing like a bird of prey.

The woman walked over to him and adjusted something attached to his chest. "You were pretty beaten up when Ben found you. If he'd been any later getting you here, you'd be dead." The woman smiled, her thin pink lips turing up in an attractive way. "You're lucky I'm good at fixing things."

"The child said as much." He said in a scratchy and spark filled voice.

The woman frowned. "I'm going to have to fix that." Her hand waved to the side and an electric screwdriver floated into her grasp. Taking up a handful of wires and screws and went to work repairing his throat.

"My name's Anya, by the way. You've already met my son, Ben." The woman, Anya, smirked. "And you're Ultron."

A wave of surprise washed over Ultron. How had the woman known his name? As if reading his mind, Anya answered his unasked question.

"Ben told me your name." She said before growing quiet. Ultron was content to lay there and let her work. For some reason, he found he couldn't fathom killing these humans. Even with the hate for the Avengers burning raw inside him, he couldn't ever harm Anya or Ben.

That both angered Ultron, and terrified him.

Only time would tell which emotion would win out.

* * *

 **A.N.** _Now for guest reviews_

 _Guest 1: She can't read his mind per-say, but she can sense his intentions. That's the reason why she even let him in her home and near her son. She can sense that he's killed before, but (for some reason) wishes her and Ben no harm. Hope that makes sense._

 _Guest 2: Gracias. Me alegra que te guste. (I think that's how you say it. My spanish is a bit rusty, I needed Google Translate to check. :p)_


	4. She is Beauty and Grace

**Chapter Four: She is Beauty and Grace (Dance with the Devil)**

 _"I have found my star. She is beauty and grace. Elegance and goodness. My laughter in winter. She is courageous and strong. Bold and tempting. Unlike any other in all the universe, and I cannot touch her. I dare not even try." -Sherrilyn Kenyon, Dance with the Devil_

* * *

 **(loooooong) A.N.** _Okay, so there's only thirty three Ultron stories on so far, and only three featuring a redeemed Ultron, I basically said "what the hell, I'll post some more." I already have seven, soon to be eight, chapters done, so I guess I'll keep posting until someone else gets off their ass and decides to write their own shit._

 _I also made a community called Ultron Redeemed, for all those good!ultron fans. So far, it had three stories. Three. Including mine. That's sad. I know this movie only came out last friday, but give the guy some love!_

 _A bit of background, the mutant rights movement has been going on for a while now. Xavier's school is in full operation, but in this the X-Men are only a distant thought. The Brotherhood is an extremist group, but they have yet to get really violent. The mutant issue has sort of been pushed to the side after the events of New York, and now Ultron. The world doesn't see them as a huge issue, though they will be later on._

 _For the dancing scene, the music is this:_ _watch?v=7TD9o1s8_aA_

* * *

Ben sat cross-legged on the hood of a car, a bowl of stew on his lap. The boy was staring at Ultron, who stared right back. His mother had shifted the metal man into a sitting position on the cot.

He was now leaning against the wall, legless, as Anya worked to reconstruct the limbs. She had already returned his arms to a decent condition.

His gaze continued to shift between the boy staring at him and the woman working to rebuild him. Anya was fascinating to watch. While her two hands were deep in the robotic leg, tools and wires swirled around her, responding to her mind and slight gestures.

A technopath. That's what she had called herself. A mutant who could control technology with her mind. Anya had assured him she could only control part of his body, that his mind was too strong for her to take hold of. It was a small comfort.

Ben was a mutant as well. His muscles and bone structure were stronger than that of a normal human, though not as impressive as some mutants who could lift trucks. Still, the boy was abnormally strong. That was the reason he was even able to cary Ultron's two hundred plus pounds five miles through the snow.

His main mutation (as well as his most interesting) was what he called 'cuttlefish skin'. Ben could change his skin's pigment and texture to blend in with anything he wanted. He even had 'finger' cells as the boy called them, that could stretch from his own body to cover other objects, such as clothing. The child could turn completely invisible with just a thought, cloths and all.

Ultron had read about mutants during his time journeying the internet. They were the 'new race', as many called themselves. It was a growing movement, mutant rights. Humans born with an extra gene, one that made them something _more._ Perhaps this was the improvement Ultron had been seeking.

But mutants were just as petty and selfish as normal humans, so perhaps not. There were two leading voices to the mutant cause. Charles Xavier, the pacifist, and Erik Lehnsherr, the warmonger.

Xavier had built a school for mutants, a place they could feel 'safe', if there was such a thing. Lehnsherr had a mass of followers who were becoming more and more violent as time went on.

But with all he knew about mutants, these two still confused Ultron. Everything they did seemed abnormal.

"What does your name mean?" Ultron asked suddenly, needing to break the silence.

Anya glanced up from the leg she was working on. "It means graceful." She tightened a bolt on the ankle. "Benedict means blessing." She added as an afterthought. "Why do you ask?"

Ultron shrugged. "It's fascinating. How each human name had a different meaning and history."

"Wha bou ooh?" Ben asked with a mouth full of strew. He swallowed before repeating. "What about you? What does your name mean?"

The android grimaced. "It has no meaning."

Both mutants stilled in what they were doing. Anya gave Ultron a sad glance while Ben looked at him with shock.

"My name was created, just like me. I had no personality, only purpose. Ultron was just a madman's dream."

Anya gently set down the arm. "You mean Stark?"

He didn't bother to answer. He didn't need to.

Anya chewed on her lip before speaking. "I don't know much about Tony Stark and his 'Avengers', but I do know they are doing what they believe to be right. In my life, I've learned that you can't judge a person by who they were or who they can become. Instead, you judge character by what the person does and what they stand for."

Ultron's fists clenched and unclenched.

"You hate them, I understand that. I don't know why, but I can guess. You don't have to tell me. Just, don't loose the forest for the trees." She reached out and took hold of one of Ultron's clenched hands. "Don't overlook the good in humanity for the bad."

Slowly the metal man nodded. Anya smiled and returned to her work. An hour passed like that, with Anya working, Ben doing homeschool, and Ultron just sitting and thinking.

Finally the quite was broken. "You got some ballerina heels on you." Anya joked as she reattached a foot to the ankle she'd just fixed.

Ultron chuckled. "No, I prefer ballroom dancing. More symmetry."

Anya cocked a brow at him. "Is that so?" She set down the leg and stood from her seat, then made her way toward a worn and dust covered radio in the corner. As she fiddled with the device, tools continued to float around and reconstruct Ultron's legs.

"Ah-ha!" Anya cheered as she finally got the radio to switch on. From it came a stream of music. It was soft with with piano and a deep voice.

 _"You can feel the world around us fading fast. The future's just a relic of the past. And the mystery of it all is dark and vast but baby we hold on."_

She turned back toward Ultron, a wide smile on her face. "It's not exactly ballroom, but it's nice." With a flick of her wrist, his now complete legs were reattached to his body.

He was nearly fully repaired. Just a few panels to cover exposed wires, and he would look just like the original body, if a bit more dinged up and miss-matched.

 _"And even when the ground beneath us starts to shake, the oceans rise and there's nowhere to escape, in the final moments of that last daybreak, baby we hold on."_

Ultron pushed himself off the cot and onto unstable legs. They wobbled beneath him before becoming still and strong. He took a step, and was pleased to see his limbs held. The joins were clean and easy to move, and they no longer made that horrible grinding noise.

"Much better." Ultron caught Anya gaze. "...Thank you." It felt odd, thanking a human, but he was in debt to her. He disliked that debt, but at the same time, the fact she and her son seemed to care for him made him feel... alive. Was this what humans call affection? Or, dare he say it... something stronger? Something like...love?

 _"And as we wander through what's left of what remains, With our last steps we'll feel life surging through our veins. There'll be nobody else left in this whole wide world except of course me and you."_

Anya drew him from his thoughts with her gentle touch on his shoulder and arm. "Would you care for a dance?" She asked, a wide smirk on her face.

 _"I can feel your heart each time it skips a beat. As the sunlight fades beneath the winter heat. And the mystery of it all is strange and sweet. But baby we'll hold on."_

Had he still been in his old body, Ultron knew his expression would have been one of shock. Thankfully, this body was devoid of emotion, the only indicator to his mood being his voice.

The music was picking up, becoming louder, good enough for a slow waltz. Ultron shifted, the metal beneath Anya's hands feeling so abnormally warm. Her touch couldn't be that hot, could it?  
The woman smiled and took his arm, dragging him to the middle of the garage. "You said you preferred ballroom." She taunted.

 _"And even when the sky starts falling everywhere. Facing the end of time each time the sirens blare; Safe in each others arms we'll find somewhere, baby we'll hold on."_

Ultron cocked his head. "I said I liked it better than ballet, not that I could dance."

Anya laughed. She sashayed up to him, swinging her hips and brushing her arms over her head. A sensual smile lit up her face. She moved around him, brushing against his shoulders and back.

Throwing caution to the wind, Ultron grabbed hold of her hand and pulled her against him. Anya gasped in surprise, before smirking even wider. She placed her left hand on his shoulder while he moved to hold her hip.

Smirking, Anya began to dance and he had no choice but to follow her movements. Anya moved seamlessly with the music, and Ultron found he wasn't so bad at it either.

 _"And even when the sorry world goes down in flames, no future left to ever recall our names, There'll be nobody else left in this whole wide world except of course for me and you."_

Letting the music wash over him, Ultron took the lead. Anya laughed as the two waltzed around the garage. Ultron released her hip and spun her around before taking her back in his arms and continuing the dance.

He found he... enjoyed dancing.

 _There'll be nobody else left in this whole wide world except of course for me and you."_

They danced until the end of the song. By the time the music came to a close, Anya was panting heavily and Ultron's joints once more began to ache.

The shock of what he'd just done registered in Ultron's mind and he pulled away from Anya in embarrassment. That had been... inappropriate ...uncalled for ...sort of... fun?

Ultron shook his head. Things just continued to get more and more complicated. He glanced to see Anya's hurt expression, but it vanished a moment later.

They continued to stare at each other in silence until it was interrupted with loud applause.

"Bravo!" Cheered Ben from where he sat on the car. "That was awesome!" The boy grinned.

Ultron shifted awkwardly while Anya turned the radio off once more. A slight blush had risen in her cheeks, though her embarrassment was almost as well hidden as Ultron's own.

"You need a new body." Anya said, breaking the silence. She glanced at him. "This one just seems... wrong."

Ultron tilted his head, glad for the distraction. "How so?"

Anya shrugged. "You need eyes. Real eyes. And a mouth...with...lips..." Her blush darkened slightly. For what reason, he didn't know.

"I had those once, but that body was destroyed." He paused. "I still have the designs..."

Something rectangular and white almost hit Ultron in the face had he not caught it in time. It was a pad of engineer paper, the kind used in designing cars or buildings. He looked at it curiously.

Ultron glanced up only to be smacked in the face with a pen. He snatched it up before it could fall on the ground. He tried his best to glare at the giggling Anya, but with a single form face it was hard to do.

"Well, if you have the design, draw it out. I'll help you build it."

Ultron snorted but did as she asked. It took him only a few minutes to complete the designs which he tossed back at Anya. She caught them with ease and looked them over.

"Impressive. I like this you much better."

With an internal smirk, Ultron flicked the pen at her, which collided with her forehead. Anya let out a yelp of surprise. The pen tumbled to the floor where Anya kicked it back at the android. She had surprisingly good aim, as the little projectile managed to whack in in the chest. Ultron smirked in responce to the petit woman's death glare.

She huffed and went back to going over the designs. Flicking a wrist, the materials needed to complete the body floated from their scattered places and into the center of the garage.

"Let's get to work."


	5. Divided We Fall

**Chapter Five: Divided We Fall**

 _"All for one and one for all, united we stand divided we fall." -Alexandre Dumas, The Three Musketeers_

* * *

 **A.N.** _Some language and mentioned rape. Yeah, darker chapter this one. XP_

* * *

 _'Shit shit shit shit shit_.' Anya hissed in her mind. She was pacing back and forth in her small room, her mind running a mile a minute. ' _God damn it! What are you, a glutton for punishment? Havn't you learned your lesson?'_

She pulled at her hair in a show of anger and self hate, then grabbed her ratty pillow and screamed into it.

Her anger spent, she collapsed on her bed, spent. "You stupid girl..." She whispered to herself. "Stupid, so stupid."

She had just wanted to get Ultron's mind off of Tony Stark and all the depressing thoughts that came with it. She knew he and the Avengers didn't have a good history. What she didn't know was _how_ bad. Part of her didn't really want to know.

But Ultron was her friend now. He was in her care, and she'd be damned if he had to go through through the self hate and depression that she had.

Then why had a innocent little dance turned into something so much more... personal?

Anya had never seen a man in any way other than friendship, if that. Most of her experiences with the male gender usually ended in tears. And bruises.

But was Ultron like that?

She didn't want to think about it, yet the subject kept nagging at her mind.

Maybe it was because of her mutation. She tended to see machines as more human that actual people. Had taken to treating them like children even. She had several robots and even a half finished A.I. in her garage, all of which she saw as family.

She'd turned them off for the time being, needing to focus on the newest member of the family. Having only junk to work with, her creations tended to be faulty and she constantly had to fix them whenever they were online.

Maybe she could never see herself ina relationship with a human, but something made of metal? Was that dance her subconscious telling her to let go of the past and move on? To stop living her life in fear?

She didn't know what to think, or what to do. She didn't even know why she'd let Ultron into her house.

She could feel the death that lingered around him. He was a weapon, yet she knew in her very core that he wouldn't hurt her or her son.

But why?

He'd killed before. She knew that as much as she knew anything else. But she had upmost confidence in him to not only not harm her family, but keep them safe as well.

Perhaps it was because she and Ben were the first humans to ever show him kindness.

Anya knew how difficult it could be for a person who'd been wronged to let anyone else in their lives at the same time, it could be so very easy. For her, it had taken only a small act of kindness from someone she didn't know to break the walls she's built around her heart.

Maybe she and Ben were that kindness for Ultron. Maybe they could prove that he wasn't just a machine, wasn't just an A.I. but a person who could feel pain and hope and...love.

Anya realized that her relationship with the man in her garage had quickly gone from patient to friend. At this rate, where could that relationship end up?

Of course, it didn't help in the slightest that she thought the new body they were making was... kinda sexy.

"Ugh." Anya wanted to bash her head into a wall for that thought. No, she couldn't think about that.

Groaning, she rolled off the bed. She needed to do something to get her mind off these confusing thoughts.

She stalked over to her closet and took out her favorite boots and a coat, then sat down on her bed to tie on the leather boots. They were worn and covered in mud, but they were the best she had. Standing up, she grabbed her fleece coat and slipped it on.

Anya suppressed a yawn and glanced at he clock on her beside. The damn thing read 5:03 am.

As quietly as she could, Anya slipped into Ben's room. Her son was deep asleep beneath his many quilts and stuffed animals. Anya smiled before turing, silently closing the door behind her.

She made her way into the sparse kitchen. She grabbed a roll from the pan being kept warm in the oven. Taking a bite, she took out a pad of paper and pencil. She scrawled out a note to let Ben know where she was going before finishing the roll and picking up her keys.

Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Anya stepped out into the garage. The room was nearly empty of spare metal, all of it being used in creating Ultron's new body.

Said android was laying on the cot. A thick cord went from his chest to the fourth car battery he'd drained dry. Even still, Ultron wasn't at full power. The reactor in his body's chest was damaged and leaking more energy than it made.

Ultron's gaze was centered on the hard-back book in his hand. A pile of a dozen more lay on the ground by the cot. Anya had given him all the books she owned to pass the time.

"Which one is that?" Anya asked from where she leaned against the doorframe. Ultron jumped in surprise. She laughed. "Caught you by surprise, did I?" She teased.

Ultron huffed in annoyance. He lifted the book he was reading to show her the cover.

" _The Giver_..." Anya murmured. "It's a very good book."

Ultron was quite for a moment. "...yes it is." Opening the book again, he went back to reading.

Anya looked at the disheveled pile of books. Titles such as _Animal Farm, The Book Thief, To Kill a Mockingbird, Cat's Cradle, Lord of the Flies,_ and _Ulysses_ stared back at her. "How many have you read so far?" She asked.

"All of them..."

Anya blinked in surprise. " _All_ of them? You started three hours ago!" She looked back at the pile. There were over twenty books there.

Ultron _mhhmed_ , still absorbed in the novel. Anya sighed and sat down across from him. "I'm going into the city." She announced.

Ultron tensed and slowly looked up from the book. "No."

"No?" Anya gasped in disbelief.

"Exactly, no. You're not going." Ultron said, returning to his book.

Anya huffed. "I am a grown woman, I can do what I want. And I need to go to the city to get the materials to finish your body." She argued.

"You're not going."

"Why?" She challenged.

"Why what?" Ultron countered, not even looking up.

"Why do I have to stay?"

"It's not safe."

Anya snorted. "I know it's not safe. I felt the earthquake. I know it came from the city. But I also have to find out _why_ it happened... and I need those supplies."

Still Ultron would not look up. "A battle happened."

Anya froze. "How do you know that?" She demanded. She had her theories, but still she was afraid of what he would say.

"...I was there..."

Anya let out a breath. "I expected as much..." She glared at him. "But the battle's over. There's no need for me to worry. I can take care of myself."

"I never said you couldn't." He mumbled.

"When why can't I go?" She challenged.

Ultron slammed to book closed and lunched to his feet. "Because I don't what you to see me as the monster I am!" He roared.

Anya stepped back, wide eyed.

Ultron turned and punched the wall, nearly breaking through to the other side.

"I'm a killer." He whispered. His back remained facing Anya, not daring to let her see him, not able to bare it. "I'm no better than them, in the end. Still... just a puppet..."

He jumped in surprise when her soft warm hands came in contact with his shoulders. "I don't think you're a monster." She whispered.

Ultron turned around, shocked. "How can you not? I've killed..." He trailed off.

"Yes you have, but that doesn't make you a monster." She soothed. "A soldier in war is a killer, yet as soon as he comes home, he's seen as a hero."

"That doesn't-"

She pressed a hand over his glowing red mouth. "I've seen monsters." She interrupted. "You're not one."

"Then what is a monster?" He demanded, challenged. He was a monster, he knew that now, and he had to make her see it to. Because, her unwavering belief in him was slowly tearing him apart.

"Ben's _father_ was a monster." She spat.

Ultron froze at the venom in her voice. The hurt in her eyes. The hatred.

Anya took a deep breath to calm herself, eyes momentarily closing. She sat down on her worktable chair, her green eyes once more opening to look into Ultron's red gaze.

"I havn't had the easiest life." She began. "I was born in Russia. Lived there until I was thirteen. After, my parents moved me to Sokovia. I was fourteen when my mutation surfaced. They kicked me out. Didn't want a mutant for a daughter. I got a job at a car repair shop. In return for my work, I was given a place to sleep. Just a cot in the workroom, but it was better than nothing."

Anya's arms moved to circle around her, as if trying to comfort herself. "I was fifteen when it happened. It was about one in the morning. I'm an insomniac. So, when I can't sleep, I either work or I go out and take a walk. That night I decided to go out. Just wander. I was going past an ally when he grabbed me."

Her eyes closed tight. "He threw me to the ground. I hit my head hard enough to make my vision blur. He got on me and he... he tore off my cloths and raped me, right there in a dirty ally. I never even saw his face."

Ultron felt rage well up inside him, that a human had dared to hurt Anya so. He wanted to hunt him down, tear the man into itty bitty chunks, and feed him the little ripped up pieces.

"I hate him, but I'm also grateful. If that hadn't happened, I would never've had Ben. It was hard. At first, all I wanted to do was get rid of him. I din't want to be pregnant. I was only fifteen. And... I couldn't bare having a reminder of what happened to me. But then he was born, and I couldn't see myself without him. I love that boy. Love him more than anything."

Anya stood in front of Ultron, her green eyes locked with his red visor. "I've seen monster, and you're not one of them." She smiled, then did something completely unexpected. Anya rose to her tip toes and kissed him on his glowing mouth.

Without a word, she got in her old truck and left for the city, leaving a very confused android behind.


	6. What Pulls Us Apart

**Chapter Six: What Pulls Us Apart**

 _"Sometimes the thing that brings us together also pulls us apart. Sort of like a zipper." -Jarod Kintz, This Book Title is Invisible_

* * *

 **A.N.** _So I decided I didn't like the stupid one word titles. Or really, I was running out of words. So, fir now it's just going to be the chapter number. I might get more creative later. XP_

* * *

Tony Stark shifted through the many flashing files displayed on the screens around him. Work work work work work.

That seemed to be the only thing he did anymore. Pepper of course would argue that point, but what was the point of being a billionaire playboy if you sat in an office all day?

Okay, so he wasn't really in an office, but his basement lab, and he wasn't doing office work, but it was still work!

He should be sipping margaritas on a beach somewhere! But no, little robo dick Ultron had seen to it that Tony Stark was stuck doing cleanup. Well, he _had_ created said robo dick and, even if both parties denied it, the two were _very_ similar.

Another reason Tony hated the guy.

But, Ultron was gone. Dead. Blasted to itty pieces. They'd destroyed every last one of his bodies.

Then, why the hell, did Tony still have a sinking feeling in his gut that this wasn't over?

He knew it wasn't guilt. Tony Stark didn't feel guilt, especially over a crazy robot who'd tried to destroy the world. But there was the fact that, through it all, Ultron had at times seemed so... _human_. And that was scary.

He tried to tell himself that he'd just destroyed a faulty program, a rogue invention. That Ultron wasn't a person, didn't feel.

But still, _still,_ the feeling nagged at him.

No, Tony Stark didn't feel guilt about destroying a program.

But he did feel guilt about killing a person.

* * *

"Are you sure he's gone?" Asked Steve Rogers.

Vision turned from gazing out the massive window of Avengers HQ and he sight beyond. He looked down at Steve from where he was absently floating a foot above the ground.

"Sure who's gone?" He asked, though he had an inking of who the Captain was speaking of.

"Ultron. Are we sure all his bodies were destroyed?"

Vision looked back out at the courtyard and the soldiers training there. Natasha was giving Wanda a crash course in hand-to-hand combat while Peter continued to tease Clint to the point the archer had actually shot one of his stun arrows at the boy.

"Nothing is certain." Vision said at last. "It's one of the few certainties in life." He turned back to Steve. "But, I assure you, I have purged all of Ultron that I could, and am continuously watching for any sign he somehow survived."

The Captain nodded, satisfied with the android's answer. "Just make sure to tell us if you find anything, anything at all. I'm sick of people not telling the team stuff. It's what caused this problem in the first place."

"A problem that brought you all closer together." Vision pointed out. Steve didn't say anything. He took his leave, a contemplative look on his face.

Vision returned to watching the goin ons of the courtyard. Natasha had easily overpowered Wanda, who was splayed face up on the ground. Sam Wilson had since joined the group to watch the women spar. He leaned down and helped Wanda to her feet.

To the side, the quarrel between Clint and Peter had turned into a wrestling match on the ground. Currently, the archer had Peter in a headlock.

Vision shook his head. Humans were so fascinating. He only wished Ultron would learn to see them the same way Vision did.

Yes, Ultron was alive. Vision had allowed it. He'd found the last body stumbling through the snow. And, for some reason not even Vision was certain of, he's let Ultron go.

Vision of course still had keen vigilance on Ultron. A part of his mind was devoted to searching the internet, airwaves, and satellites for any ill moves from Ultron. Vision had even commandeered an out-of-use US satellite form the 1970s and altered it to fit his needs. The satellite now had a constant eye of Ultron and the two humans he stayed with.

Vision would continue to watch his brother. But thus far, it seemed that his gamble was paying off.

Slowly but surly, Ultron was learning what it meant to be human.

* * *

Moonlit white snow flashed by as Anya drove the two hours into the city. Her lips thinned into a slim line as she thought.

 _Ultron._

He... confused her. An enigma, that's what he was. A puzzle to solve. But more than that. He was a person. The most interesting person she'd ever met. Maybe it was because he was metal. Maybe because she could feel him like no one else except Ben. Maybe they were just kindred spirits, but she felt irreversibly connected to Ultron.

It was both terrifying and exciting.

Anya knew Ultron had killed. She could feel it on him, the spilled blood. But she could also feel the intent behind it. He'd never really meant to kill. In truth, he didn't want to kill. He'd just been doing what he'd been designed to. Doing what he believed was right.

He saw humanity as corrupt, a sickness. And he needed a cure. But really, what could cure humanity? Ultron tried to find a solution to an unsolvable problem. So he did the only thing that made sense to him. Destroy the problem.

Without war, there would be peace. And without humans, there would be no war. It was simple logic, but it defeated the true purpose.

Anya's grip tightened on the steering wheel. She knew he was a killer, but she also knew he didn't want to be. That was the only reason why she'd left him alone with Ben. The only reason he was even inside her home instead of a sparking pile of metal.

Because she believed in him.

And she would prove, not just to Ultron but to everyone who ever doubted him, that he was human too. He might be made of metal, but inside, Ultron was a sentient being. And he deserved a chance.

The sun was finally rising over the mountains, casting the world in a warm yellow glow.

Anya glanced down at her watch. It read 7:43. Looking up again, her destination finally came into sight. She gasped.

The city was in shambles.

The air was still chocked with dust and rubble clogged what few roads remained. A massive crater stood where half the city had been. Fires still burned in some areas and Anya would see masses of destroyed buildings. In the air was the huge form of a SHIELD helicarrier. Small ships would periodically go to and from the floating island of metal. She assumed they were here as clean-up, and possibly to help rebuild. On one side of the city, farthest from the crater, was a recently erected building. Anya could only guess it was a refugee center supplied by the same people who were in the helicarrier.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself for what she was bound to find, Anya entered the destroyed city.

* * *

Ultron stared at the garage as it closed behind the fleeing tow-truck. His mind was in turmoil. Anya had... kissed him?

He knew from the internet that kissing was a sign of human affection. That friends and family could both share kisses, though those hardly ever took place on the lips. Lips were reserved for lovers. But, Ultron didn't have lips. Just a simple glowing mouth that couldn't even form its own words.

Then he remembered what Anya had said about... lips. She'd told him that he needed eyes, and a mouth with lips. What could that possibly have meant?

Humans were weird.

But Ultron found he rather liked that weirdness. Shaking his head, he glanced down at where _the Giver_ lay on the floor. He bent over and picked up the book, gently returning it to the stack.

He'd finished them all now. Read every last word. It was one of the downsides of having a computer for a brain. He could finish a six hundred paged novel in under thirty minutes. Anything slower and he'd be bored out of his brains.

He needed new books.

Sitting down on the cot once more, Ultron picked up _To Kill A Mockingbird._ It was by far his favorite. Compared to the others, this one seemed so much more innocent, yet at the same time had the effect of a punch to the gut.

Ultron found all of Anya's books were like that. They were thinking books. Controversial books.

Books that screamed out his sins in neon letters. They were stories that depicted both the good and the bad in humanity. And even though their message spit in Ultron's face, he couldn't help but love those worn pages bound in leather.

He rubbed his metal fingers over the cover of the book. Even to his hard digits, the leather was soft and smooth. Loved and well-worn.

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view..." Ultron quoted in a soft voice. "Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it."

Setting the book back down, he stood. There he decided he wanted to learn what it was like to be human. To walk around in their skin. Glancing at the framed picture of Anya and Ben, he decided he wanted to know what it was like to be one of _them._ The people who deserved this world and all the goodness in it.

He wanted to be what Anya saw in him. The good and the bad. Collecting the few materials that remained, Ultron set to work. He would have a new body, and with it, he would build a new life.

* * *

 **Guest Reviews:**

 _Lara: Thank you so much. Yes worship in my brilliant! jk._

 _Guest: Yeah, it is going a bit fast, but I can't really figure out how to slow it down without dragging the story out. :p You have to remember though, neither of them really have much human contact. Anya's been alone with Ben for over five years and Ultron is, well, Ultron. So they're not exactly following the norm. I'm trying to make it realistic, but, yeah... *derp face*_


	7. Broken Bottles

**Chapter Seven: Broken Bottles**

 _"I want my life to be the greatest story. My very existence will be the greatest poem. Watch me burn. -Charlotte Erksson, Empty Roads & Broken Bottles; in search for The Great Perhaps._

* * *

Ultron had only been working on his new body for about forty-five minutes when curiosity got the best of him and he went about exploring the cluttered garage.

Spare parts, tires, tools, and oddly enough, animal skulls filled the relatively large room.

The garage was as big, if not bigger than the house. At least Ultron estimated the size. He had yet to go in the house, but what sensors he had left showed it wasn't a very large residence.

Strung from the ceiling was an assortment of light fixtures, including an old chandelier, a lantern, and several strands of christmas lights. From the walls hung three deer skulls, an elk, a bear, and a coyote or wolf.

The garage was also home to three cars, Anya's tow-truck and two half repaired cars. There was also a snowmobile and a motorcycle in various stages of repair.

Anya was a mechanic, and a damn good one, though that was probably due to her mutation.

Given her talents, she could probably finish a project in less than half the time it would take a normal human.

She was also brilliant. Not just with machines, but everything in general. Even though it didn't seem she went past the ninth grade, her I.Q. was at a genius level. From what he'd seen, Ben was almost as intelligent.

Proof of Anya's brilliance was leading against one wall. Ultron recognized it as a fellow A.I. though not nearly as advanced as himself. It was in the form of a dog, the size of a great dane. The robot was laying on its belly, eyes unlit and circuits slightly frayed.

Intrigued, Ultron approached the dog. It's limbs were strong, clearly showing it could walk, and probably run on them. Its ears were pointed and had a mouth full of teeth.

Reaching out, he pocked the robot. His touch caused a jolt of electricity to jump from his digit to the dog's head. He was shocked to see its eyes flash to life.

The dog turned to him lightning quick and began to growl. Ultron slowly began to back up as the dog leapt to its feet, still growling. Then its mouth opened and a high pitched whine came out, accompanied by a loud call of "Intruder! Intruder!"

Then the dog charged, its jaws snapping and red eyes wild. Ultron dodged the crazed A.I. but the creature only followed. He ran around the room, determined not to get any more damaged.

He had to go as far as jump onto the hood of the half repaired truck to get away from the screeching robot.

"Intruder! Intruder! Intruder!"

"I'm not an intruder you damn mutt!" Ultron roared back. The dog jumped up again, trying to bite him, only to meet Ultron's foot to his face.

The metal hound backed up, whining and growling at the same time.

Both A.I.s froze when the sound of the door to the house opening and closing. Out stepped the sleepy figure of Ben. The boy was dressed in an oversized shirt and boxer. He walked into the garage, rubbing his tired eyes as he went.

"Wah's happenin'?" He yawned.

"This hell hound decided I'd be a good chew toy!"

Ben blinked at Ultron, his words not ket computing in his tired brain. The boy didn't have time to answer anyway, as he was suddenly plowed over by the insane dog.

"Master! Master!" Yapped the dog.

Ben seemed to have been knocked out of his stupor as he began to laugh at the dog's antics. Since the creature didn't have a tongue, it settled for rubbing its nose against the boy, causing a similar effect.

"Gadget, get off! That tickles!" Ben cried in between tickles. After a few more nuzzles the dog relented, moving back a few steps and sitting down in its haunches.

"Master!" The dog grinned. Ben smiled at the damn creature. He reached out and patted it on the head. "Were you giving Ultron trouble?" Asked the boy.

The dog's head swing around and he growled at the fellow A.I. "Intruder!" Barked the little beast.

Ben laughed. "Ultron isn't an intruder. He's a guest!"

The dog cocked its head. "Guest?" It inquired.

Ben nodded. "Yes, guest. Now you be nice to Ultron, okay."

The dog whined but made no other protest. Instead in moved right in front of the boy and lay down with its head in Ben's lap.

"Master." It sighed.

Ben giggled, then turned to Ultron who was slowly climbing down from the truck as not to damage it. "Sorry about that. Mum programmed Gadget to be a guard dog. He just didn't know you were a guest."

Ultron eyes the dog wearily. "It's fine. Just... keep it away from me. It isn't natural."

Ben laughed. "Fair enough. Though, you arn't exactly natural either."

Silence met the boy's remark.

Ben shrugged. "So mum went into the city?" Ultron nodded. "How long ago did she leave?"

"Just under an hour ago."

"She should be back before dinner then. The city's a few hours away." He leaned back against the wall, absently stroking 'Gadget'.

"Mum likes you, ya know." The boy said after a few minutes of silence. Ultron had since gone back to building himself a new chest. He froze in his work, glancing up at the boy. "What do you mean?"

Ben shrugged. "I mean exactly what I said. Mum likes you. Not really sure _how_ she likes you, but she does. She's not exactly the friendliest person in the world. We've lived alone for the past five year, just me and her. The only human contact we get is with Mum's customers. She's not really good with people. That's why she acts weird sometimes. At least I assume it's weird. I wouldn't really know." He shrugged again.

"That's another reason Mum build Gadget, to give me a friend. I've never really had a friend. Neither has she. It's just me and her against the world. Kinda sad. But then you came, and we had a friend."

He was quite again, then, "I think Mum wants to like you more than a friend. But she's scared. She likes you a lot, and I think you like her back. But neither of you have had the best experiences with humans, so you don't really know what to do."

The two sat in contemplative silence for a while. "I suppose..." Ultron murmured. "I'm not exactly the best person." He sighed. "I'm probably a bad influence on you both."

Ben shook his head. "I disagree. You're not perfect, but no one is. Me and Mum, we're a pretty broken family, but we're still a family. Mum's far from perfect. Every year, on the anniversary..." Ultron knew what anniversary it was. "She drink. Like, really drinks. It's the only time she does it, but she gets so drunk. She starts out happy. Loopy. But as she gets more drunk, she starts to scream and cry. I lock myself in my room. She sometimes throws things. The next day, she's throwing up and crying and sleeping in. But the day after, she's fine. She needs those days to keep her sane. They remind her that things can be bad, really bad, but like the drinking, it goes away. She's a fighter, and she'll get through it."

They were quite for a while. Ben shifted, causing Gadget to wake up from his doze and moving to sit in front of the door. Ben got up and grabbed the designs for Ultron's new body from where they sat on Anya's work table. He looked them over, a smile slowly growing on his face.

"You're gonna look awesome once Mum's finished with you." He grinned. "Are you going to build a new arch reactor?"

Ultron nodded. "The one I have now is damaged. I can't exactly go around with a broken heart." He tried to joke.

Ben laughed, even if it wasn't that funny. "Can I help?"

Ultron thought for a moment. It couldn't hurt. He gestured for the boy to sit next to him and began to explain the science behind the reactor. Ben listened with rapt attention, and together they began to piece together Ultron's body. And with it, they built a future.

* * *

 **A.N.** _I really like Gadget. He's a cutie. Maybe I'll draw a picture of him later. I don't think I have any guest reviews. If I do, sorry for not responding. My inbox tends to eat my emails. :/ More explanation stuff, and an almost father/son scene between Ben and Ultron. It feels so weird to be writing fluff, considering I usually write violence and angst. Just read Black Suns and Golden Spaces, that one's pretty messed up. So I went to my local comic store with my friend today for the first time. It. Was. Awesome. I bought an Ultron bobble head. He's so cute. :)_


	8. Author's Note

Hey guys, sorry for this not being a chapter. It is good news though! I went back through and re-read Age of Redemption, and decided that I didn't really like it. The plot and oc's I think are okay, but Ultron seems too ooc and the plot's moving too quick. So, I'm re writing what I have so far, and publishing it as another story under the name New Way To Be Human. I'm leaving Redemption up for those who want to read the old version. I'll have chapter one (and probably more) posted by tonight. Hope you guys like!


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